Visitors to Costa Rica during the rainy season will come across the pejibaye harvest in local markets. This unusual fruit comes from a tropical palm, often called peach palm in English, and has a starchy, orange mesocarp or midsection that is edible when cooked.
Some businesses have followed the plaintiff's recommendations and currently are offering the popular boca under different names like "Chichifrijo," "Chifrijol," "El Innombrable" ("The Nameless") or simply "Chicharrón & Frijoles."
The news exploded this week: Miguel Cordero, a humble restaurateur, plans to sue 49 different establishments across Costa Rica, including some chain restaurants like KFC and Spoon. Cordero is demanding a total of $15 million in damages for one reason: He says he invented chifrijo, and everybody else has been cashing in on his recipe.